Police produces challan against 13 persons in Handwara sex scandal

Srinagar, Sep 25 (UNI) Jammu and Kashmir Police today produced a challan against 13 persons accused in the Handwara sex scandal in a local court in north Kashmir.

A police spoksman said that challan was produced against the accused in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Handwara.

The case surfaced on August 8 when one Abdul Gani Malik, a resident of Matrigam lodged a written report in police station Handwara that one Abdul Majid has kidnapped his minor sister with attention to rape her.

The police registered a case and investigation was set in motion.

In the meantime the parents of three other girls -- Shameema Bano resident of Serajpora, Rafiqa, resident of Dolipora, and Rukhasana, resident of Sirajpora, also lodged a complaint in police station, Villgam, regarding the kidnapping of their daughters who had left for Handwara craft centre, run by one NGO ''Women Welfare 'Organisation'.

Meanwhile, information was received that the accused and the missing girls have been arrested by Rajouri police and immediately, a police team was deputed to bring them to Handwara.

A special police team headed by SP Firdous Iqbal was constituted to thoroughly investigate the case.

The case was actively supervised by SP Handwara Hasib Mugal.

Immediately police swung into action and conducted more than 60 raids at Srinagar, Baramulla, Uri, Rajour, Handwara and arrested 13 accused.

The team completed investigation within 45 days and today produced challan against 13 accused under section 363, 376, 420, 292, 506 and 120-B Ranbir Pannel Code (RPC) and section 3, 5 and 7 of the Prevention of Immoral Traffic Act (PITA).

The name of the accused involved in the case and against whom challan was filed include Abdul Majid Bhat, resident of Handwara, Waheed Bhat, resident of Handwara, Khursheed Ahmad Awam, resident of Uri, Abdul Gani Mir, resident Daril Handwara, Nazir Ahmad Tantray, resident Khanbal Handwara, Aijaz Ahmad Lone, resident of Magam, Ghulam Mohiuddin Bhat alias Raja Mohiuddin, resident of Hanmdwara, Khursheed Ahmad Mir, resident of Gantimolla presently Kantbagh Baramull, Mushtaq Ahmad Sofi, resident of Handwara, Ghulm Nabi Parry, resident of Mundigam, Mehbooba Geelani, resident of Iribal Handwara, Mohammad Younis Manhas, resident of Ward No.8 Rajouri and Zakir Hussain Malik resident of Faizalabad Surnkote.

UNI BAS VD BS1924